The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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52 THE WOLVERINE ❱ NOVEMBER 2025 ❱ MICHIGAN RECRUITING NOTEBOOK room and wants to go into business like his father, who is the CEO of a finan- cial planning firm in the Baltimore area. Needless to say, Michigan's Ross School of Business is really moving the needle. "It helps a lot," Abrams said. "I'm big into academics. Seeing how good the Ross School of Business is, that's re- ally intriguing. Michigan made it known how important class is. Sherrone Moore even checks in on classes. That defi- nitely strikes me and piques my inter- est." Michigan also received a boost from its recruiting class as several commits chipped in to help convince Abrams to make the flip. "The commits told me why they com- mitted to Michigan," Abrams said. "I got to see the recruiting class they have and the talent they have. I can help elevate the class. Markel Dabney talked to me a lot. We got to hang out a little bit after the game. The coaches told me he loves it, and he gave me reasons why he com- mitted." So, where do things stand coming out of the visit? "I'm still 100 percent committed to Georgia," Abrams said. "Michigan did a lot of great things. I'm going to keep talking to them and keep seeing where they are at and where I'm at. We'll see where it goes." Abrams, the No. 14 linebacker and No. 233 overall recruit nationally, plans to graduate this winter and enroll early. FATHER OF RIVALS300 DL ALISTER VALLEJO ENJOYED MICHIGAN VISIT Michigan hosted several commits for visits for its Oct. 4 win over Wisconsin, including Rivals300 Liberty Hill (Texas) High defensive lineman Alister Vallejo. The Lone Star State prospect made multiple trips to Ann Arbor this offsea- son and gave the Wolverines a verbal pledge in June. However, this marked the first game-day experience for Vallejo and his family in The Big House. "It was pretty amazing," said Valle- jo's father, Orlando. "We were in awe of everything. Walking out of the tunnel was a really cool experience. The fans were out there, and the kids were giving high-fives to everybody. You felt the crowd and the love. We definitely all enjoyed ourselves. We were able to hang out with some of the parents, and got lunch after the game in the basketball arena. "Just sitting there with the other re- cruits and their families was great. Ali and Titan Davis have a really good re- lationship. They always talk and text. His mom and Ali's mom are checking on each other every week. Jaylen Pile came up with his mom, and we've kept a close relationship with them. We're all from Texas. It was just cool to catch up. You're building relationships for the next three or four years. It's special." The elder Vallejo paid close attention to the Michigan defense during the win over Wisconsin and sees Wink Martin- dale's scheme as a perfect fit for Alister, who projects as a three-technique at the next level. "The defense played lights out," Or- lando said. "That first series was tough. They were anticipating a different quar- terback starting. They had to make dif- ferent adjustments, and they did. They all fly to the ball. They play with intent. They play to hit hard. They play smash- mouth football. That's exactly what Ali's been taught. Seeing him in that defensive scheme in the future is very exciting. He's really pumped up about it. He can't wait to be a part of it." Alister, the No. 22 defensive lineman and No. 270 overall recruit nationally, has not wavered since announcing his verbal pledge, but that hasn't stopped other schools from calling. Colorado and Miami recently offered, while Ala- bama, Notre Dame and Ole Miss have remained in contact. This month's visit helped reaffirm that Michigan is the right fit. "It definitely solidified his commit- ment," Orlando said. "Everyone from the new analysts, Cobe Bryant and Nick Welsh, to Coach DD [David Denham] RIVALS INDUSTRY TEAM RECRUITING RANKINGS Rk.* School Commits 1. Southern Cal 34 2. Georgia 29 3. Notre Dame 27 4. Oregon 17 5. Texas 21 6. Texas A&M 27 7. Alabama 23 8. Tennessee 24 9. Ohio State 22 10. LSU 16 11. Michigan 22 * As of Oct. 20 Alister Vallejo, the No. 22 defensive lineman and No. 270 overall recruit nationally, has not wavered since announcing his verbal pledge to U-M in June, but that hasn't stopped other schools from calling. Colorado and Miami recently offered, while Alabama, Notre Dame and Ole Miss have remained in contact. PHOTO BY EJ HOLLAND